1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and system for processing information for a composite appliance such as a printer, facsimile (FAX), or copying machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has conventionally been put to practical use an image processing apparatus called a composite appliance such as a copying machine or facsimile which is equipped with a combination of an image input apparatus such as a scanner and an image output apparatus such as a printer, or a computer system which is equipped with an image input apparatus and image output apparatus as separate component units. To realize composite functions such as an image input function, image output function, and copying function in this image processing apparatus, when the image input apparatus and image output apparatus cannot operate in synchronization with each other, the copying function is realized by outputting, to the image output apparatus, image data temporarily stored from the image input apparatus in a memory. When the image input apparatus and image output apparatus can operate in synchronization with each other, the copying function is realized by disposing a passage for directly transferring an image signal from the image input apparatus to the image output apparatus.
However, the conventional digital composite appliances have been developed by adding the function of a conventional device such that the facsimile function is added to a copying machine or the printer function is added to a facsimile. Such digital composite appliance can only perform composite operations and parallel operations in units of jobs.
In the conventional digital composite appliance, local memories are distributed to interfaces such as a scanner and printer for a case where the use of a bus enough to exchange various processing data for input/output cannot be ensured.
FIG. 112 is a timing chart for explaining job processing under control in units of jobs. Print job 1 and print job 2 are to be processed by a composite appliance. Assume that these jobs are to acquire a given resource (e.g., a page memory). Print job 1 first issued at time T1 acquires the resource. Subsequent print job 2 tries to acquire the resource at timing T2, but fails because the resource is occupied (locked) by print job 1. Hence, the resource acquisition request is queued. When print job 1 releases the resource at timing T3, print job 2 acquires the resource in accordance with the queued resource acquisition request of print job 2, and performs processing. That is, print job 1 and print job 2 are serially processed from T1 to T3 because print job 1 exclusively uses the resource.
In the conventional digital composite appliance, a series of job processes are sequentially executed in units of jobs. When a plurality of jobs are input to the digital composite appliance, subsequent jobs wait until a preceding job ends. This decreases the job throughput.
In some cases, memories ensured by distributing them to local devices store repetitive information between the devices. A redundant memory area equal to or larger than a necessary area is required.
When a single CPU executes processes which are different in whether real-time operation is required, processing requiring real-time operation is sacrificed by processing requiring no real-time operation. This decreases the performance of the whole system.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and system which solve any of the above-described problems.
To achieve the above object, according to an aspect of the present invention, an information processing method for a composite appliance, comprises
a division step of dividing a job into constituent elements,
a device management step of managing assignment of a device for each of the divided elements, and
a bus control step of controlling use of a plurality of buses in order to perform processes of the devices corresponding to the divided elements in parallel.
In the information processing method for a composite appliance, the element constituting the job preferably uses a document page as a unit.
In the information processing method for a composite appliance, the composite appliance preferably includes at least one of a printer, facsimile, copying machine, and digital composite appliance.
In the information processing method for a composite appliance, assignment and release of the devices are preferably done for each element constituting the job.
In the information processing method for a composite appliance, use of the plurality of buses is preferably controlled for each element constituting the job.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an information processing system for a composite appliance, comprises
division means for dividing a job into constituent elements,
device management means for managing assignment of a device for each of the divided elements, and
bus control means for controlling use of a plurality of buses in order to perform processes of the devices corresponding to the divided elements in parallel.
In the information processing system for a composite appliance, the element constituting the job preferably uses a document page as a unit.
In the information processing system for a composite appliance, the composite appliance preferably includes at least one of a printer, facsimile, copying machine, and digital composite appliance.
In the information processing system for a composite appliance, assignment and release of the devices are preferably done for each element constituting the job.
In the information processing system for a composite appliance, use of the plurality of buses is preferably controlled for each element constituting the job.